› ›

Should monks take confessions from women and married couples?

Unknown
edited December 1969 in Random Issues
Should monks take confessions from women?

What do you think? I was not really against this before, until I recently when someone pointed out that it would be wiser for a married priest to take confessions from women.

What do you think?

I hear that the Church does not allow monks to take confessions from single women or married women. Can someone confirm this?

Comments

  • jydeaconjydeacon
    Monks(unless they are ordained priests) shouldn't be taking confessions at all. But I've always heard that monks who are priests as well can only take confession from men. I know that some monks where FOC's of nuns but concerning people in general I'm not so sure. I've also seen that some monk priests have been assigned to churches outside of their monastary, so for sure they would be taking confessions of women there, i mean the women have to confess regardless. Interesting topic
  • Lover of the father
    I also have heard that monks should not be taking confession.  Once someone was telling me this and was saying that bishops like Anba Paula, who were monks, should not be involved in marital problems, that it should only be the priest that is involved with marriage problems
  • Unknown
    wait why cant they take confession?
    oh because they dont really have women/marriage experience?

    because i was told that priests had to marry so they couuld experience livinq with a wife and possibly children riqht?

    +mahraeel+
  • Lover of the father
    So how do we explain that monks are not allowed to take confession, but Anba Paula can?  I have been asked this and i do ot know the answer
  • aiernoviaiernovi
    Pope Shenouda recently reiterated that monks who are ordained priests should not be taking confessions from women. Monks who are sent to serve in a church for a time are obvious exceptions since they are taking care of the members of the church. Bishops can also take confessions from women. They are often in charge of a diocese and have to deal with people on a daily basis. The reason monks cannot take confession from women or married couples is that they should be dead to the world and the confessions might supply the monks with thoughts that the devil can later fight them with. Bishops and monks serving in churches are not in that category since they have been called to service.
  • Unknown
    [quote author=aiernovi link=topic=7617.msg100036#msg100036 date=1233955038]
    Pope Shenouda recently reiterated that monks who are ordained priests should not be taking confessions from women. Monks who are sent to serve in a church for a time are obvious exceptions since they are taking care of the members of the church. Bishops can also take confessions from women. They are often in charge of a diocese and have to deal with people on a daily basis. The reason monks cannot take confession from women or married couples is that they should be dead to the world and the confessions might supply the monks with thoughts that the devil can later fight them with. Bishops and monks serving in churches are not in that category since they have been called to service.


    Thank you so much for answering my question!

    But why does H.H Pope Shenouda send us monks who are ordained as priests for in communities where there is a very high married population!??? WHAT DOES HE GAIN FROM THAT???

    It doesnt make any sense.

    I have only seen major problems arise from monks who have taken confessions from married women.
  • Nesto0129Nesto0129
    I do believe that monks should accept confessions... reason for that being, even though a monk gives his life to serve God, he is also a hand through God that can make a difference in other people’s lives.  Monks are normal beings, God gave them mind and heart...so to sit there and take confession I don't believe that is wrong, because as a human being, he knows what advice to give.  Many psychologists are not married, but they specialize in relationships for couples or marriage counseling.  And people don’t mind going to them, because it’s someone who sits and listens to the problem and gives advice.  To be helpful through advising others, one does not to be in the same position as the one he’s advising, but to listen to the situation and get an understanding of what is the cause of the problem.
  • socoolbishoysocoolbishoy
    abouna 3bd el massih... he was a monk! he was sent to the convent to take confessions from the nuns! he was then sent to a town where he took people's confessions, during which he found problems... where women were attracted to him! if a guy confesses to abouna the monk, and talks about his sexual sins, that has the same effect... as a girl confessing

    so if a monk takes the confessions, he can choose whose confessions he would take, there are monks that will not talk to women, because they know they're weak and will not be able to overcome the temptations that devil can try to use to devour him...  since these temptations come from guys as well, so I don't see why he cant take the confessions of females! but that's up to them

    also let us not forget that we're not confessing to the monk, priest or bishop, like many times bishops will not hear what you're saying, they're present for your confession... so if the monks allows you to confess through them, so be it, you being a male or female! many times I call abouna the monk, and I tell him everything... and they advice me, amazing advices may I add... and that's because they have the priesthood, they are PRIESTS... thus they can do any and everything the priest does!

    also it depends what kind of life the monk is living, if its a full seclusion, or if its a community living...

    just keep in mind in the end, if the monk agrees that you give him the blessing of confession... then so be it, you being male or female!

    akhadna el baraka... neshkor Allah!  
Sign In or Register to comment.